Car-coupling



2 Sheets-Sheet l. M. HARTZ.-

GAR GOUIJLING.

Patented Apr. 5, 1887.-

(No Model.)

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2 Sheets-Sheet; 2. M. HARTZ.

GAR GOUPLING (NO'Model.)

Patented Apr. 5, 1887.

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NITD STATES PATENT OFFICE..

MATHEV HARTZ, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 360,687,dated April 5,1887.

Application led August 16,1584. Renewed September-15,1886. ScrialNo.2l3,633. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Marsi-iw HARTZ, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use thesaine.

My invention relates to improvements in car-couplings, and the object isto automatically couple and connect railway-cars when the bumper-headsof such cars are brought togcther with a coupling-link in one of thebumper-heads, and which may be uncoupled and coupled withoutnecessitating the traininan to pass between the cars; also, to furnish ameans by which the coupling-link can be raised or lowered to suitdifferent heights of cars without passing between the cars, and thusendangering the .life of the train-man.

The invention consists in the construction of parts and arrangement ofcertain details, as will be more fully described hereinafter, and morespecifically pointed outin the claims, reference being had toV theaccompanying drawings,and the letters of reference marked thereon.

Like letters indicate similar parts in the different iigures of thedrawings, in which-q Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improvedcouplings in position and coupled. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line x fr. Fig. 4 is across-section on line y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail view of thelifting-lever. Fig. 6 isa detail view showing the coupling-pin raisedout of contact with the coupling-link.

In the accompanying drawings, A and B represent the two buffer-heads,which are provided at their inner ends with the buffer'- springs a andb, placed between the plates a', a, and b', and one of which, c, is heldstationary. The buffer-head Bhas the coupling-pin C, and supports thelink D upon a pivoted curved guide, E, having its lower end to projecteven with the face of the buffer-head, so that the link can be easilyentered. In the rear of said guide is arranged a transverse shaft, d, towhich a finger or lug, d', is atl(ached, which bears on the upper rearpart of the guide E, and when said shaft d is acted upon by a suitablehandle it bears upon said guide, and the link D can be elevated andguided to suit different heights of cars,so as to enter into thebuffer-head A. Suitable guides, e, are arranged in each buffer-head toguide the plates a and b in their longitudinal movements.

The buffer-head A is provided with two arms, F, having at their lowerends aj ournalbox,f, in which a transverse shaft, G, is supported. Theboxesf are arranged in a yoke or frame, g, and can be adjusted byset-screws h in case of wear, and at their upper ends they bear againsta spring, 71', to prevent concussion when the parts are operated.

The shaft G projects to the `outside of the car, so that it can beoperated without the train-man passing between the cars, and has securedupon it an arm, H, which is provided with a frictionroller, that bearsagainst a bent lever, L, when the coupling-pin C is to be acted upon.The lever L has at its forward end a sliding bar, z', having theprojections fi', which act as stops, and said bar t' serves as a guideto carry the lifting-bar K,with the coupling-pin C, back to its normalposition. The liftingbar is provided at its lower end with afriction-roller, k, to prevent wear, and also to facilitate the movementof said bar. At its upper end this bar is bent at right angles,and has aforked end which passes around the pin C', between the two collars c',and on the ends of the forked part are two hooks, c, which prevent thepin from dropping out of its place in the forked end, while allowingsaid pin to be easily taken out and replaced when desired. The bar K isguided in its place and moves up and down in the bearings or lugs m onthe bud'er-lhead. Vhen it is desired to uncouple the cars, the bar K,with the couplingpin,is raised by means of the lever L, arm H, and shaftG,with the crank-handle, and is supported on the friction-roller h2, andheld by a small cross-piece, h, on the arm H, that engages with a notch,Z, in the lever L.

Another arm or lever, M, on the .shaft G serves to facilitate thedropping of the pin C', lever L, and arm H to move back when thebuffer-heads are brought together by coming in contact with dependinglug N on the plate a".

The lever L is pivotcd at its rear end to a stud, a, secured to thethimble n', placed on the elongated end ofthe bolt O, and can freelymove on said stud When the lever is to be operated upon. The sliding baris provided with two open lugs or hasps, i2, which serve to guide saidbar in its movements on the lever L.

The ears are to be provided at one end with a buffer-head, A, and at theopposite end with a buffer-head, B, and as they will therefore al- Wayshe alike the coupling-link should be usually not less that nine or morethan ten inches. The pins should in all instances be provided with thedouble eollars,so th at they can be used in both buffer-heads.

The buffer-heads are supported in the ordinary manner by the straps orbars l?, seeured to tlieunder side ofthe frame-Work of the cars.

The operation is as follows: The couplinglink is inserted in place inthe butfer-head B, andis held bythe coupling-pin C. The eonpling-pin Gof the buffer-head A is raised by turning the shaft G, With itscrank-handle, by which the varm H comes in Contact with the lower faceof the lever L, and this in turn raises the lifting-bar K and thecoupling-pin C', attached to it. As soon as the oars are broughttogether, the arm M cornes in contact with the depending lug N as thespring a is compressed between the plates aa", and the arm H is releasedfrom contact with the angular lever L, and this allows the lifting-barK, with the coupling-pin G', to drop and engage the opposite end of thecoupling-link, thus rendering the coupling of the ears automatic. Tounoouple the ears, it is only necessary to impart a slight rotary motionto the shaft G,

when the lever-lifting bar Vand coupling-pin will be raised by the arm Non said shalt out of engagement with the coupling-link, and thisoperation can be performed from either side of the car, as the shaft Gis to be extended to both sides.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

l. The combination of a lever, L, having` sliding extensiouhar and alifting-bar With coupling-pin, with a shaft, G, provided with an arm, H,having friction-roller and a crosspieee, h, for engaging With a notch,Z, in the lever L, all arranged substantially as set forth.

2. The combination ofthe buffer-head A and plate a, having lug N, withthe lover M, secured to the shaft G, arranged as and for the purposespecified.

3. The combination of the bolt O, having the thinnble a', provided withstud a,with the lever L, having sliding bar i, the lifting-bar K, andcoupling-pin G, all constructed and arranged for operation as and forthe purpose herein set forth.

4. The combination ot' the b11il`e1-head A, having the arms F, providedwith adjustable journal-boxesf, With the shaft G, having arm 'H, foroperating the coupling pin C', in the manner herein shown and speciiied.

In testimony WhereofI hereby affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

MATHEV HARTZ. Vitnesses:

AnoLF GRAF, Louis Monsun.

